People become vegetarians for many reasons.  Author Jonathan Safran Foer explains why he gave up meat.  Evan George and Alex Brown call themselves the Hot Knives.  They share the secret to pairing beer with cheese and music.  Gourmet food trucks are all the rage in Los Angeles. But the city of Portland did it first.  Teri Gelber tells us how the Northwestern city does street food.  Javier Cabral sorts out his favorite food trucks in Los Angeles.  We visit with the man behind Kogi Korean tacos, Roy Choi.   …

Do you remember ambrosia salad?  You’ll sometimes find it with marshmallows and canned mandarin oranges.  I sat down with the Lee Brothers, Matt and Ted, whose new book is Simple Fresh Southern.  You’ll hear their whole interview on Good Food… Here’s a nugget that I didn’t have time for – the Lee Brothers version of Ambrosia salad.  It sounds delicious!
Lee Brothers’ Ambrosia Salad
The recipe is here.

I had a chance recently to sit down with Evan George and Alex Brown, also known as the Hot Knives.  Their new self-published book is a collection of beer, cheese and music pairings.  Hear the whole interview this week on Good Food.  We didn’t have time for everything so here’s a bonus cut – a pairing of a Lambic with a Welsh cheese:
Beer: Cantillon Brewery’s Gueuze Lambic
Listen – Hot Knives Lambic Selection
Cheese: Gorwydd Cerphilly
Listen – Hot Knives Cheese Pairing
Music: Melody of a Certain Three by Blonde Redhead
Listen – Hot …

Nearly 13 years ago I received a phone call from Jennifer Ferro, then Assistant General Manager of KCRW.  I’d been an occasional guest on Good Food when Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger (The Two Hot Tamales at the time) were the hosts of the show.  Jennifer was calling to ask if I would take over hosting duties.  The “Hot” ladies were really hot and needed a break.
I was a different person than I am now.  Shy, insecure and amazed that Jennifer and Ruth thought I could do the …

This recipe comes from Corina Weibel, chef/owner of Canele restaurant in Atwater Village (last week’s Market Report)
For 2 people
2- 8 oz. portions of local halibut or sea bass
1 large handful of english peas – then shuck ‘em
15 to 20 sugar snap peas – de-string then slice on a bias
1 small handful of pea tendrils
1 shallot sliced
salt
pepper
olive oil
You will need 2 pans for this.  Get one pan medium hot.  Season the fish with salt and a drizzle of olive oil.  Smear the fish with the olive oil.  When the pan is …

It’s time to plant tomatoes and Windrose Organic Farms from Paso Robles grows over 200 different tomato varieties.  They can help you find varieties that will grow in coastal climates as well as hotter parts of LA.  Find them at the Wednesday Santa Monica Market or online at windrosefarm.org.
Farmer Barbara Spencer of Windrose Farms with a few of her varieties of tomato plants.
organic tomato plant
Corina Weibel, chef/owner of Canele restaurant in Atwater Village shops each week at the Santa Monica farmers market. She loves the fresh peas available right …

Lesley Balla, Los Angeles Editor at TastingTable.com and a regular guest on Good Food, recently featured a collaboration between Tasting Table and Whole Foods Market.  Whole Planet Foundation is engaged in a campaign to support microlenders in 18 countries and empower impoverished people to create or develop their own sources of income.  The goal is to raise $1.5 million and assist as many as 40,000 people in developing world communities.
So how can you help?  Very easily.  Through March 31, 2010, Tasting Table will donate $2 to the Whole Planet …

I love John Pleshette’s recipes – they are always seasonal and delicious.  He’s an actor and a foodie who shares with us his weekly recipes.

JOHN PLESHETTE’S MEAL OF THE WEEK
I usually make soup with homemade stock, either beef or chicken.  But in this case, I wanted the flavors to come solely from the smoked ham hock and the cooked garlic. If you saute the kale just before serving, it remains crisp and forest green. Substitute spinach, chard or cabbage, if you prefer.  I like the cavalo nero, …

California produces 50 percent of the fruits, vegetables and nuts consumed in the U.S.  And that kind of agricultural production needs water and lots of it.  Today on Good Food, Rita Schmidt Sudman takes a look at how California’s agricultural sector uses water.  Gustavo Arellano of the OC Weekly takes us to Little Arabia in Orange County.  A look into the intense Bocuse d’Or cooking competition.  Andrew Friedman has the scoop on this prestigious event.  Nancy Zaslavsky knows her Mexican food.  She tells us about cemitas, the sandwich from …

Did you see that gold medalist Lindsey Vonn wrapped her injured leg in cheese?  It was an Austrian curd cheese called topfen, a high-acid fresh cheese.  Food chemist John Lucey notes that “milk is often used in Hindu medicine, and food-based poultices are applied to cuts, bites and bruises in cultures that believe in natural remedies.”  Really interesting!